EAST RUTHERFORD — Da’Rel Scott entered the Giants’ preseason finale at New England a week ago knowing his NFL future was probably on the line.

He earned one last chance to show head coach Tom Coughlin and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride he could give them what they needed.

That chance came in the third quarter, when on three straight plays Scott did what the Giants coaches were looking for: aggressive running to get into the end zone.

“The three times in a row where we gave him the ball, with that slip screen (pass), I think he showed as much of a physical presence in his running game that you’d like to see,” Gilbride said Thursday, three days before the team’s season opener in Dallas.

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With Andre Brown out 4-6 weeks with a broken ankle bone, Scott will be the Giants’ No. 2 back behind second-year starter David Wilson.

The three plays that won Scott his roster spot started with a first-and-10 at the Patriots’ 21-yard line.

Scott powered over left tackle for 11 yards, then ran inside over two Patriots for a touchdown. A false start penalty erased the score, but not Scott’s determination as he came back on the third play to get the final yards for a touchdown.

“You know he has the speed, and if there’s a hole there he’s going to exploit that. And he has the chance speed-wise to go the distance,” Gilbride said. “When there isn’t a hole, can you make people miss or can you break a tackle? I thought he hit it with tremendous toughness.”

“I had excited everybody in preseason two years ago, too,” Scott said. “I feel as though they are excited for me to get an opportunity. I just have to prove everybody right, let them know why they’ve been waiting for me.”

Coughlin wouldn’t say Scott is a lock for the backup job but admits a few more sequences like Scott had in New England could help him keep the job.

The Giants brought in some veteran free agents this week as they continue to search for a suitable replacement should Scott not produce consistently.

“I have a huge opportunity,” said Scott, who in his 15-game Giants career has 11 rushes for 25 yards and two catches for 13 yards. “I have a huge opportunity to let them know that we don’t need to bring anybody in. I have to have my faith and prove to them I deserve to be here.”

How long he can go is the big question.

“We’ll play it by ear,” Gilbride said. “We’d like to see David go maybe a little bit more than what we’ve done in the past. With the weather and everything else, you just don’t know how it’s going to play out.

“Da’Rel is going to play. There’s no question about that, and he’s going to have to play well for us. He’s going to be a big part of what we’re doing. What that translates into is number of plays. I’d be less than honest if I told you it was going to be 20 or 30 percent.”

Gilbride knows Scott is capable of big things, too.

“It just shows you how tenuous things can be for all of us but especially in our business. You know what he did? The three times in a row where we gave him the ball he showed us he’s got the speed, and you know if there’s a hole there, he’s going to exploit it,” Gilbride said. “And he’s got a chance, speed-wise, to go the distance, as he did a couple of years ago on that fake punt. No one’s going to catch him.”

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The Giants players on team captains Thursday, re-electing Eli Manning, Justin Tuck and Zak DeOssie and appointing guard Chris Snee and safety Antrel Rolle for the first time.

“Am I happy they were selected?” Coughlin said. “Yes, I am, because I think the No. 1 thing is always ‘team’ and people have to lead by example first and ‘well done is better than well said.’”

The five captains are the most for the Giants since 2008.

It is the sixth consecutive season Manning has been a captain, the fourth time for Tuck and third for DeOssie. Snee and Rolle were team leaders before receiving the formal endorsement of their teammates.